Contents:
- Medical Video: Dr. Stephen Phinney: How much sodium should you consume on a ketogenic diet?
- What is ketone salt supplement?
- Ketone salt supplements turned out to be dangerous for athletes
- The researchers do not recommend ketone salt supplements for athletes
Medical Video: Dr. Stephen Phinney: How much sodium should you consume on a ketogenic diet?
In addition to regular physical exercise, maintaining food intake is also very important for athletes to keep their bodies fit. One food intake that is often consumed by athletes is ketone salt supplements. In fact, not a few athletes who make ketone salt supplements as a mandatory supplement for stamina enhancers because they think that salt is one of the foods that have good nutrition. However, is this correct assumption? See the full review in this article.
What is ketone salt supplement?
Ketone salt itself is a supplement consisting of beta hydroxybutyrate (BHB) which is combined with mineral salts such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium which are used to increase body absorption.
The way it works is the same as the ketogenic diet, which utilizes ketosis in the body. Ketosis itself is actually a normal metabolic process that occurs in the body when using ketone-shaped fat to provide energy for the body and brain. Excessive amount of ketone in the body is called ketosis.
Well, this supplement is intended to increase the levels of ketones in the blood, similar to ketosis, so that the body will get its energy from them. This is what makes athletes often consume ketone salt supplements as a way to increase energy and stamina during physical training or preparation for the match.
Ketone salt supplements turned out to be dangerous for athletes
A study conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada said that consuming additional nutritious salt or ketone salt supplements can inhibit rather than improve, athletes' performance during high-intensity exercises such as running 10 km or cycling up the hill.
During the study, the researchers involved ten adult male athletes who had a body mass index (BMI or body mass index) similar. Then the researchers divided participants into two groups randomly. The first group took ketone salt supplements, while the second group did not take the supplement. Half an hour after the participants swallowed supplements, the researchers then conducted a cycling trial in a certain period of time.
Although previous research has shown that ketone supplements improve long-lasting performance. But the results of this study are just the opposite. Because the group of participants who took ketone salt supplements decreased stamina by as much as seven percent lower compared to the second group who did not take the supplement.
The research, published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, shows that ketone salt works by raising blood ketone levels and forcing the body to rely on fat burning as fuel.
In fact, the process of burning fat to become a source of energy requires a long and complicated time. This means that fat-derived energy may not be ideal for athletes because athletes need fast-produced energy sources, such as blood glucose (sugar).
The researchers do not recommend ketone salt supplements for athletes
Professor Jonathan Little, Assistant Lecturer at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, said that the ketone salt supplement was not recommended for athletes. So the assumption of ketone salt supplements should be consumed by athletes to increase stamina and performance when the match is not correct.
In addition, the researchers also noted that salt ketone supplements, may have other unknown side effects. This makes the researchers call on everyone, especially athletes to be careful when taking ketone salt supplements.
Further research on a large scale also needs to be done to ensure more profound side effects from taking ketone salt supplements.
